1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a garment package and more particularly a garment package for housing and protecting a folded garment having foldable front flaps and a depending and protective top.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packaging for folded and displayed garments, such as socks and other hosiery products, normally consist of an insert or an inner support means of some description and a band holding the folded garment against the support means so that the fabric of the garment can be seen and touched by the shopper. Since it is an encouragement to the shopper to feel the fabric of the garment, often the garment is removed from the band and support member and thereafter unfolded for a more complete study. In the majority of cases, the shopper is not inclined to take the time and effort to refold carefully the garment and reposition it on the support member and within the band. Thus, the band, support member and garment are usually casually laid back on the display likely in an unhung and rather unattractive condition making it very unlikely to be viewed by subsequent shoppers. Frequent maintenance of such displays is therefore required in order to replace the unwrapped garment with a new package or at least refold and reposition the garment on the supporting member and within the band.
Other prior art devices involve the use of more than one surrounding band in an effort to secure the garment more rigidly to the support member and resist removal of the garment from the member by the shopper. In that style package, one band encircles the two folded leg members of the garment and the second band then encompasses the entire garment when a fold is made over the first band with a section of the folded leg. This package is somewhat more effective in resisting removal of the package from the backing; however, it is still exposed and has a tendency to collect dust and other debris that might be in close proximity to the display. While it does require some effort to remove the garment for additional inspection from the two bands and backing member, this activity frequently takes place with the same result as previously described. The package and garment must be replaced, or at the least, the garment must be refolded and repositioned into the existing package if both articles are undamaged.
There is no relatively inexpensive and cooperatively designed package that will secure the garment within the package surrounding, protect the garment from dust and other debris to which it may be exposed, and minimize the maintenance required in refurbishing and repackaging folded displayed products such as socks and hosiery. Since these requirements are critical to the successful and ongoing display of products of this nature, it is to these desirable features that the present invention is directed.